People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 702 Empress Wu's Taboo

Wu Chengsi walked quickly towards the Zichen Hall, and the servant leading the way walked so fast that he also had to quicken his pace.

The squares on both sides were quiet, but Wu Chengsi's heart was full of undercurrents.

He had a very puzzled look on his face, why did he announce him into the palace all of a sudden, and he was still in such a hurry.

Standing in front of the gate of Zichen Palace, listening to the servant's report, Wu Chengsi's heart inexplicably flashed a glimmer of gloom.

"Let the Secretary Supervisor Wu Chengsi see you!"

In an instant, Wu Chengsi suppressed all his emotions in his heart, walked into the Zichen Palace respectfully with a solemn expression.

As soon as he entered the hall, Wu Chengsi immediately saw Li Xuan and Ming Chongyan standing on the left side of the hall, and at the same time Di Renjie, the Prime Minister of Dali Temple, standing in the center of the hall.

Di Renjie, the most famous detective in Dali Temple, is highly appreciated by Duan Baoxuan and Zhang Wenguan.

They have a friendly relationship with Nanchang Wang, and they even have a mutual friend Wang Bo.

Di Renjie has been able to solve major cases many times, and he is supported by the King of Nanchang.

Wu Chengsi's sharp eyes swept across, and a coldness flashed in his heart, then he looked forward, bowed his hands and saluted: "Secretary Supervisor Wu Chengsi, I pay my respects to Your Majesty, Queen of Heaven."

Li Zhi pressed his hands on the imperial case, raised his head slightly, glanced at Wu Chengsi, and turned around to look at Empress Wu after he died.

He wasn't interested in asking questions.

Empress Wu leaned forward slightly, with a gentle tone, and asked calmly: "Chengsi, have you been to Da Ci'en Temple today?"

Wu Chengsi was taken aback for a moment, then cupped his hands and said: "Report to the Queen of Heaven, I have indeed been to Da Ci'en Temple today."

"When did you go, when did you leave, who did you meet, and what did you do after you left?" Empress Wu asked a series of questions directly.

Wu Chengsi's face was slightly embarrassed, but he still cupped his hands and said: "Reporting to Heaven, I arrived at Da Ci'en Temple at the beginning of time, stayed for about half an hour, and left Da Ci'en Temple."

"Half an hour, isn't it right? Remember here, you obviously stayed in Da Ci'en Temple for six quarters of an hour, why, did you eat all of the last two quarters of an hour?" Empress Wu's voice suddenly turned cold, A registration book was thrown on the ground by Empress Wu, and her anger was evident.

All the people present were bright-eyed people, and it was clearly written on it that Zhou Guogong Wu Chengsi arrived at Da Ci'en Temple at Sishichu and left at six o'clock.

Empress Wu stared straight at Wu Chengsi, feeling infinitely angry in her heart.

Wu Chengsi's face was full of grievances, and he immediately cupped his hands and said: "Reporting to the Queen of Heaven, I did arrive at the Daci'en Temple at the beginning of Sishi, and left after Sishi Zheng, but the last time did not exceed Sishi five quarters, and definitely did not stay until Sishi six." carve."

"It seems that there is a problem with the registration book of the Da Ci'en Temple. Your famous Zhou Guogong entered and exited the Da Ci'en Temple, and they can remember the time wrongly. I really don't know what to do." The coldness spread to the ears of everyone present in an instant.

Empress Wu didn't believe in Da Ci'en Temple, but she didn't believe in Wu Chengsi.

Li Xuan stood on one side, lowered her eyebrows, as if she didn't see or hear anything.

……

"The Empress Dowager, there is absolutely no deviation in the subject's memory. At six o'clock, the subject had already arrived at Qujiang Pond, wandering around in the pool. He had just returned to the mansion not long ago, and was summoned by the palace. He came here immediately." Wu Chengsi cupped his hands. , despite the grievance on his face, he still said calmly and respectfully: "Tian Hou, maybe it is really the Da Ci'en Temple that made a mistake, and it is unknown."

"Then what did you do at Daci Temple?" Empress Wu looked at Wu Chengsi coldly, with deep anger hidden in her eyes.

Standing aside, Li Xuan, Ming Chongyan, and Di Renjie and others stared deeply at Wu Chengsi at the same time, watching his every move.

Today, in Da Ci'en Temple, Li Xuan and Ming Chongyan were only one step behind Wu Chengsi, but the two of them had never met Wu Chengsi.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I went to Da Ci'en Temple to pray for Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, and grandfather, Erlang Sansi, and to protect his well-being." After Wu Chengsi finished speaking, he bowed deeply.

"Did you really do that?" Empress Wu's face flashed a gloomy coldness, but immediately, Empress Wu asked more directly: "Who did you meet there?"

Wu Chengsi paused for a moment, but still cupped his hands and said: "I have met two great masters, Huizhao and Shanwuhui, from Da Ci'en Temple."

"You are here to see the good without regret." Empress Wu's words pierced through the concealment in Wu Chengsi's words.

Huizhao is in charge of guarding the Daxiong Palace. Zhou Guogong Wu Chengsi is a distinguished guest among the distinguished guests, so Huizhao should be always with him.

But Huizuma was accompanied by Li Xuan and Ming Chongyan in the end, and there was no Wu Chengsi at all, so Wu Chengsi had to leave early.

Even Wu Chengsi saw Huizhao for a while, turned around and went to see Shan Wuhui, and he was there most of the time.

……

Wu Chengsi fell silent, Li Xuan, Ming Chongyan, and Di Renjie all fell silent.

Although the Da Ci'en Temple is a place of prayer and worship, not all the worshipers are Buddhas.

For example, the entire Daci'en Temple was specially expanded by the emperor to commemorate his mother, the eldest grandson, the empress.

In the temple, there is also a stele of blessing of Empress Changsun.

In Chang'an City, wealthy families can also send the merit tablets of their deceased elders to Da Ci'en Temple, and then worship them every day.

If there is any inconvenience, you can also ask the monks in the temple to burn incense and worship on your behalf.

This was naturally the case for Wu Chengsi, but what he was looking for was Master Shan Wuhui from Tianzhu, not any halfway monk in the temple.

Because it was his father Wu Yuanshuang and uncle Wu Yuanqing who he burned incense to worship.

Wu Yuanshuang and Wu Yuanqing are half-brothers and sisters with Empress Wu, but when Empress Wu was young, these two treated Empress Wu's mother Yang very harshly, and they often abused and humiliated Empress Wu.

Later, the Wu family became the empress, Wu Yuanshuang was appointed governor of Haozhou, and Wu Yuanqing was appointed governor of Longzhou, but soon after, they all died due to incidents in Zhenzhou.

Although the two have a mausoleum, they are not in Chang'an.

Wu Chengsi set up a family temple to worship in Zhou Guogong's mansion, and it was inconvenient for even Empress Wu to intervene.

But now, he quietly sent Wu Yuanshuang and Wu Yuanqing's merit tablets to Da Ci'en Temple to worship, which is very taboo.

Especially Empress Wu's taboo.

So Wu Chengsi could only go to the Tianzhu monk Shan Wuhui to take care of him.

Empress Wu knew this kind of thing when she saw Wu Chengsi contacting Shan Wuhui.

It's clear, but the anger in my heart suddenly rises.

Wu Chengsi lowered his head slightly, but immediately raised his head and asked extremely vigilantly: "Tianhou, can I know what happened?"

"Di Qing, tell him." Empress Wu waved her sleeves and turned away from looking at Wu Chengsi.

Di Renjie immediately turned around, cupped his hands and said, "Mr. Zhou, at six o'clock today, Master Shan Wuhui of the Great Mercy Temple was found dead in the guest house of the Temple of Mercy."

"Master Shan Wuhui is dead?" Wu Chengsi suddenly looked terrified, with a look of bewilderment.

Di Renjie looked at Wu Chengsi, cupped his hands and asked, "Mr. Zhou, do you really not know anything about what happened in Da Ci'en Temple today?"

Wu Chengsi finally regained his composure, with a wry smile on his face, he said casually: "After bidding farewell to Master Shan Wuhui, I left Da Ci'en Temple and went to Qujiang Pond. , Master Shan Wuhui was murdered by others, it is really..."

After a short pause, Wu Chengsi continued: "Master Shan Wuhui was born in Tianzhu, he has a unique understanding of Buddhism, he is lenient to people's body and mind, and solves people's doubts, so... no, you asked me to come because you doubted me... no, why? ...Tianhou, this matter is not what I did, Master Shan Wuhui has kindness to me, how could I do such a beastly thing."

Wu Chengsi finally came to his senses now, this time, the emperor and Empress Wu called him here because they suspected that he had killed Master Shan Wuhui.

Wu Chengsi directly knelt on the ground with a "plop", and then knelt down heavily, his whole body terrified.

A figure suddenly appeared in his mind.

This person is his cousin He Lanminzhi.

"So, you don't know anything about the King of Nanchang?" Empress Wu leaned forward, staring at Wu Chengsi intently.

Wu Chengsi raised his head in astonishment, looked at Li Xuan, and asked, "Did something happen to King Nanchang?"

Facing Wu Chengsi with a blank face, Li Xuan took a deep look at him, lowered her head and began to think carefully.

Could it be that this matter really has nothing to do with Wu Chengsi, or does it mean that he really knows how to act.

Li Zhi spoke at this time, looked at Di Renjie, Li Xuan and Ming Chongyan, and asked with a serious expression: "Di Qing, Ming Qing, King Nanchang, what do you think of this matter?"

Di Renjie first cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, according to my opinion, this matter has little to do with the secretary. What kind of person is the secretary? If he really wants to kill someone, he won't be so clumsy at all. Before he leaves completely, he will be suspected of murder... I checked the scene carefully, the murderer acted calmly and did not act out of anger, and the saber technique was accurate and sharp, although the secretary supervisor has some cultivation, killing people is probably not his forte."

Li Zhi nodded, then looked at Li Xuan, and asked, "King of Nanchang, what do you think?"

Li Xuan turned to look at the emperor, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Queen of Heaven, what Di Sicheng said is reasonable, Zhou Guogong has always been strict and meticulous in his actions, and there are few omissions. Daci Temple is not an ordinary place. Once something happens, Wannian County, Yongzhou Prefecture , even Dali Temple and Honglu Temple Qianniuwei will be alarmed. If you don’t pay attention, you will have to go to the hall to confront them, and the disturbance is too big, so I conclude that this matter is not the work of the Secretary Supervisor.”

"Do you really think so?" Empress Wu suddenly interjected and looked at Li Xuan, staring fixedly at Li Xuan.

Li Xuan pleaded for Wu Chengsi again, but Empress Wu suddenly became suspicious.

Li Xuan cupped his hands calmly and said: "Reporting to the queen, I know Zhou Guogong quite well. He is a man of great power, not a person who did it rashly, and today's incident is too similar... It seems that someone has been staring at Zhou Guogong. , seems to be staring at the minister, if not for the minister's other affairs in Da Ci'en Temple today, I am afraid that even the minister will inevitably be involved in it, please His Majesty and the Queen of Heaven will investigate this matter."

Empress Wu nodded slightly, sighed lightly, and turned to look at Wu Chengsi, with a flash of hatred for iron and steel.

At this moment, Li Zhi asked, "Mingqing, what do you say?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, to the Queen of Heaven, what Di Sicheng and Nanchang King said are all reasonable." Ming Chongyan bowed deeply, and said at the same time: "I followed Nanchang King to Da Ci'en Temple, and later I also went to the guest house. But there, other than a severed throat, there is no other trace, the person who did it was clean and neat, and the scene was cleaned up very cleanly... Tianhou, judging by Zhou Guogong's mood today, he is not the person who can do this."

Li Zhi tapped on the table lightly, and said with a stern expression: "No matter what, such a heinous thing happened in Da Ci'en Temple, and it needs to be found out as soon as possible. This matter should be dominated by the King of Nanchang, and Mingqing and Di With Qing's cooperation, Qianniuwei and Dali Temple fully assisted to solve the case as soon as possible."

"I obey the order." Li Xuan, Ming Chongyan, and Di Renjie all agreed at the same time.

Li Zhi's eyes fell on Wu Chengsi's body, and he said softly: "Wu Qing, from today onwards, you shut yourself up and think about your mistakes. When will this case be clarified, you can go out again."

"The minister leads the decree." Wu Chengsi kowtowed heavily.

(End of this chapter)